Illuminating system for theatrical display.



L. S. HOWARD. ILLUlxeubrATIhm` SYSTEM PoR THBATBIGAL DISPLAY.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.7, 1911. I

@@l a Patented May 23,1911,

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wl'mEssEs I wwf/WUR LUuwfm/me .Howard ATTR/VEYS 'usaran sraaas ramenacarica i Louis `SAMUEL HOWARD, or'wieiiima, KANSAS.

ILLUMINATING SYSTEM vro'n'r1-iJamaican DisrLAY.

Toiall 'whom 'it concern.'

Be it known'that I, Louis SAMUEL How- Ann, acitizen of the UnitedStates, anda residentof Wichita. in the county of Sedgwick and State ofKansas, have invented a new and Improved Illuminating System forTheatrical Display, of Whichthe following .is a full, clear, and exactdescription.A This invention relates t0 a new and 1m-v proved meanswhereby a theatrical performerLsuch as ai tight-rope Walker, vcanautomatically cause a series of lights to,ap

4pear and disappear onvhis apparatus or clothing, in a mannercorresponding to his movements. a l

An obye'ct of this' invention is -to provide an illuminating' systemwhich vwill be simple and inexpensive,l and Which will be highlyattractive and spectacular in its appearance.

,A further object of Ythis invention is to' provide a support, such as atight-rope, on which a person is adapted to perform, having sections ofelectrical cont-acts so arranged that the movements of the performerwill make and brealrconnections between lights placed on his clot-hing,person, or apparatus. y

' These and further objects, together with the construction andcombination of parts,

Will be more tullywdcscribed hereinafter andparticula'rly set `forth inthe claims.

. Reference is to be had to the accompanying-drawings forming a part ofthis specivnca-tion. in which 'similar characters of -ret- `erenceindicate correspondingparts in all the views, Aand inivhicli-y Figure lisa side view in elevation; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view ot thesupportiing rope, partly in section to slioiv tho underlying-structure;and Fig. is a diagrammatic illustration showing the manner in whichtlie'ciicuits are completed.

Referring moreparticularly tothe sep/arate parts of the invention asembodied in the form-shown in the drawings, ,l indicates a suitablesupport, Which may be eithera tight-ropefor a slack-rope, and on Whichone or more,l exhibitors 2 mayperform. It will` be noted that this ropeis of'a peculiar struc'- ture,.in'that it has 'a body portion 3, onv

which are provided conducting members 4tv and 5 vextending` fromopposite Sides of asource of electricity, indicated diametrically inFig. 1. These conducting members are so arranged as to havealternately-disposed exposed contacts, whereby the circuit maySpecification of Letters ateiit. Patented :May 23, 1911 Applicationfiled January 7, 1911. Serial No. 601,259.

complete the circuit, the exhibitor is proy vided with heel and toecontacts 8 and 9,' which are insulated from the body by'a nonconductingovershoe 10', and are connected either in series, or, preferably, inparallel by meansof Wires 11 and 12, with electric lights 13 arranged insuitable attractive positions on the exhibitors clothing, and also,

vif desired., on his person and apparatus.

The use of the device Will be'readily understood when takenin connectionwith. the

above description. As the exhibitor performs onthe ,rope l, in'movingback and forth, it eitherv foot at any time 'should bridge the spacebetween two of the sections G and 7, so that it each ot" the contacttips on his foot should come in engagement With sections of oppositesign; the circuit would be completed through the source ot elec-vtricity, and the lights connected to the tipson, that particular foot,so tliatithey:wouldY be illuminated. As soon as the operator lifts hisfoot, so that both .of the tips are out of contact With the differentsections, then the lights corresponding' to that particular, circuitWill be cut oill'.l It the foot should' bc entirely on one section, itcan readily be seen that theilights will not be my invention, I'donot-wish to be limited to the specific details th'ereof, but desire' tobe protected in various ohangeaalterations and modifications whichmay'come within the scope-of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention., I `i claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with a rope having a vpairof wires spirally Wound in alternate sections so as to form exposedcontacts, of a source of electricity connected to opposite sides of saidWires, a series of lights adapted to be carried by a performer, andmeans enf gaging said Wires so as to make and break the circuit throughsaid lights and s aid source of electricity. A

2. The combination with a rope having a pair of wires spirally wound 1nalternate I sections so as to form exposed contacts, of a source oflelectricity connected to opposite sides of said Wires, a series oflights adapted to be carried by a erformer, andl plates carried by thefeet o said exhibitor adapted to' engage said Wires, said plates'beingconnected electrically to said lights so as to make and break thecircuit between said source of electricity and said lights.

3. The combination With a rope having a ypair ofwires spirally Wound 1nalternate sectionsso as to form exposed contacts, of a source ofelectricityconnccted to opposite sides of said Wires, a series of lightsadapted to be carried by a performer, andheel and toe plates on eachfoot of vsaid performer,

connected electrically` to said lights and' adapted to make and breakthe circuit between said lights and said source of electricity.

v4. The combination vvith a rop-ehaving a pair of wires spirally Woundgmlalternate sections so as to form exposed contacts, of a 'f 5. Thecombination with a suspendedflexible rope, having contacts arrangedthereon in sections, alternate sections beln connected to oppositesidesof a source o electricity, paraphernalia adapted '-to be carried byan exhibitor having apluralityjof electric lights, and contacts,electrically' connected tofsaid lights carried by said exhibitor,adapted to engage said sections so as to produ ce a complete: circuitthrough :said

source of electriclty and saidf lightsfwhenf` said separate contactsengage electrically opposite sections.

In testimonyv whereof I have signedmy name tothis Aspecification in thepresence, of two subscribing witnesses.

. LOUIS SAMUE;J HOWARD Vitnesseetf' HAROLD SHEPPARD,

S. J. MCCABE.

